You've hoped, you've asked, you've prayed, you've waited, you've stomped your feet, you've revolted against the institution, you've given up, you've rekindled your faith, only to be let down again. But the wait is over. Hangouts is finally fiiiiiiiiiinally adding the option to record and send 1-minute videos*.

*on iOS. Hah! What, did you honestly think the Hangouts Android development team woke up all of a sudden from its slumber and decided to add every feature you've been begging for?! Far be it from that. It still has its priorities straight — like implementing rounded corners for shared images. That was huge, you guys. Did you notice the performance improvements it caused?! The app flies now, like birds with rounded wings.

So back to iOS. Not only do our friends on the other side of the OS divide get to enjoy a real tablet layout like we've seen in some of our wet dreams (whaaaaa?! You don't dream about UI and UX too?! It's just me and Liam who do that?! My bad), but they've also been able to record and share 10-second videos since version 2.0 released February 27, 2014. If you're bad at math or your brain just exploded, let me tell you that was two years ago, give or take a few days. Two years.

What they're getting now in version 8.0 is a longer video recording allocation, up to one full minute. Those are 60 seconds or 60000 milliseconds of moving images that you can't share with anyone from Android. Because Android is for chumps. And what's the point of video anyway? We got GIFs yo. Those are pictures that move too, aren't they?

Here's a changelog of the update to officially twist the knife in your back. As to whether this means video sharing is coming to Android soon, your guess is as good as ours, and ours says, "Dream on, bud."

What's New in Version 8.0.0
• Send video attachments up to 1 minute.
• Fix for unread conversation when you’ve been in a call.
• Fix for users stuck on the “Ok, got it” button
• Support for Google for Work - Mobile Management.

Comments

I wish they would add the ability to send voice notes. Kakao, Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, Threema ... almost every other messenger has this feature.

Łukasz Ordon

You can always call, right?

My1

not if the other side doesnt have time.

Leif Sikorski

There's a big difference between sending someone a voice message and calling someone. Calling is much more disrupting and requires that both have the time to do interact by voice at the moment.

Łukasz Ordon

So what about writing normal SMS message using Google Now (voice command maybe?)

m-p{3}

Voice recognition is a hit and miss for me. A simple voice notes would works well without fighting with that system.

Diego Opazo SV-Cross

This was what I was expecting. It's easier to ask for nudes this way.

Kim Schulz

do you use it ? I have yet to meet someone that actually use it.

Leif Sikorski

Yes, usually in situations where typing would take too long or is uncomfortable. While doing work, being out with gloves in the winter or similar situations. I'm not a fan of the speech to text input because then I always have to check if everything is correct so a direct voice message is faster and easier.

Paul_Werner

Yep, same though in the mean time I use Voxer for the times I want to send voice notes

deltatux

I personally don't really because I'm usually in situations that you can't do that, like at an office. However, I see many friends doing it all the time on WeChat, Telegram or WhatsApp. This feature was popularized on Asian chat apps like WeChat and KakaoTalk and is spreading to western chat apps.

Comediante

The worst IM that nobody uses is less crappy now! Yay.

Diego Opazo SV-Cross

But... Google and Android... Why???

Kim Schulz

hmm what wrong with filming with your camera app and then share it through hangouts? works like a charm here. I share videos on a daily basis that way. I think that google photos takes care of the sharing part but I am not sure.

That's actually using Photos to backup the video and then share a link to the video with the recipient. So you can't do that if you're not using Photos to back up your camera roll. This is more about sending a video peer to peer, which is a feature most chat clients have had for years.

Kim Schulz

I still think that it covers the needs for most users perfectly. I personally don see why you would not want google to backup your photos for free. The photos service is awsome and yeah it makes it easy to share images, videos, photo albums etc with anyone - even the ones left behind with only an iphone or ipad.

mmark27

I think what people want is something like FB Messenger's implementation where you can upload and view the video right in line instead of linking out to another app. I'm in agreement that I don't see the utility of adding this to Hangouts proper.....I'd rather they make it faster and less lag/jank before adding this. I also think that the folks over at Google are smart enough that they could probably just work this out using the Photos service as the backhaul and just view the video in line inside Hangouts (much the same way they pull up your photos from Photos app to quick add). Not sure why this hasn't been implemented yet.

Johnson A. Johnson

You can't send that message until the video has been uploaded. Not too useful for passing along something that was sent to you in a better messenger, or that you just took. If you find that the system works for you as is, I think most of us would say that we're happy for you. In reality, I want to be able to send a video directly to a recipient, and I dont always want a history of it floating around outside of the trusted recipient.

JD

Wow it's like Google wants me back on iOS

Frawlz

As long as you download and use their apps... they could care less.

k

*couldn't

Frawlz

Fixed and go fuck yourself. :)

AvidShooter

Wow Google

Defenestratus

I think it's clear by now that Google puts their interns to work on hangouts when they arrive day one. By week 2 they're promoted to the Keep team.

atc-tech

Best comment here... not sure why you didn't get a ton of upvotes!

nirmitlamed

All of you who has Hangouts on their devices, Uninstall it Now! and let google have what really they deserve.

itpromike

Maybe they just want to bring feature parity to iMessage to compete with that platform? Just a shot in the dark... Given the rumor that they are giving hangouts the boot soon as far as default messaging and are rolling out a true messages upgrade I guess it wouldn't make sense to rollout mobile specific hangout features since it will be (even more than it already is) more of a web/gmail/browser messaging solution with a mobile app on the side.

What I'd love for them to do is implement a TRUE iMessage competitor. A default SMS/messaging app the fully integrated and comes default/standard on ALL Android devices so that you just login with your Gmail account on any Android phone (like iCloud account on iOS) and your default SMS app always sends over this new protocol as long as the person they are communicating with is signed in with their gmail account and using the default SMS app, and falls back to traditional SMS if not. It would support GIF, HD video and longer clips as apposed to SMS, voice messages, uncompressed photos, location sharing (1 time sharing or defined time periods for individual contacts), ability to leave or moderate 'group texts', the works - basically everything iMessage does except for Android users and comes default/standard on all Android devices.

fastfooddiet

> your default SMS app always sends over this new protocol as long as the person they are communicating with is signed in with their gmail account and using the default SMS app, and falls back to traditional SMS if not

This would never happen, because Apple has it patented. Yay innovation.

itpromike

Oh hush, don't let your bias prevent you from critical thinking. The iMessage protocol is patented yes, but Google could create their own protocol (which they've done countless times for other products).

Also, while we're at it, innovation is not, just regurgitating what the previous guy did because it was neat. Innovation is looking at the other guy did, finding a unique or better way to accomplish the same thing with possibly an even better end result. Like it or not, patenting your 'invention' forces the other guy to think for himself to accomplish even greater instead of just copy and pasting a feature or solution some other person actually spent time creating. So yes, indeed Yay innovation.

Lexster

Wow, people still use Hangouts? I've all but abandoned it at this point. Much prefer Telegram now and push all my friends to use it instead.

Mattia

Telegram should add HD cryptographic call like Signal

deltatux

Why not just use Wire at that point, end-to-end texts, calls, video calls and works across multiple devices seamlessly. Uses the same protocol as Signal.

Mattia

Wire is really nice, but they need to "open" the entire app, not only the cryptographic protocol. In this way people can help with security and bug hunting.

Oh no, I forgot,
that wouldn't suit your argument that only iOS was updated.

Derik Taylor

Come on now, no need to be mean to her. I think she was discussing mobile apps more than anything. :P

jerry

I didn't intend to come across as mean to her, I have liked her articles in the past, so i know she is much better than this.
By including Hangouts on Chrome, it would actually show Google in a WORSE light and strengthen her point that Google could get it working on iOS and Chrome but not on Android.
But instead the gist of the article was that google only cared for iOS which is clearly not the case if they got it working on Chrome.

Thanks Jerry

Nice, what a backhanded compliment. The article is discussing googles own mobile platform as a 2nd class citizen. Whats chrome got to do with it? Not in scope.

1. Where IN THE ENTIRE ARTICLE do you see me say that *only* iOS got updated?
2. What does Chrome being updated recently have anything to do with video support being implemented for 2 years on iOS and getting a recent bump now whereas it's not even there on Android?

My1

it's not about chrome being updated but the hangouts "app" OF chrome updated. I dunno anything about it coz Firefox4ever, but anyway

Well you certainly didn't write so and i dont try to assume too much (maybe because asperger)

jerry

Rita, by omitting Hangouts on Chrome, you are giving the impression that only iOS was updated. If you are using that title, you implicitly infer you are covering all platforms.
For completeness, you could also show that someone can send a mp4 file such as this for example "techslides.com/demos/sample-videos/small.mp4" via Hangouts on Chrome.

For completeness, I can recount the entire history of Hangouts with every update, can't I? This is a short sarcastically written article to draw attention to the divide between Hangouts' mobile app features on iOS and Android, not all platforms and all versions :/

Sir_Brizz

As far as I can tell, Hangouts for Chrome doesn't support sending video, either, which was kind of the whole point of this article.

Also, I'm pretty sure that I've almost never seen a post on AP when the Chrome extension updates.

Jimmy Baez

Man tears. I am crying man tears.

alv4

Wait... The gifs are working on the Android app?

gmaninvan

Ya that has been fixed for a while

Martin

Until they turn Hangouts to something like iMessage it's pretty useless for me... Was hoping for better integration for N and kinda disappointed.

Sir_Brizz

Hangouts is already pretty close to iMessage but without all the dumb things iMessage does to your ability to send MMS messages.

Frawlz

Their next, next Android release needs to have a heavy focus around messaging.

Bryan Pizzuti

@!#?@!

kamiller42

It's obvious Google is not serious about Hangouts. Prepare for its eventual demise.

Indianajonze

i'd love to know the active user base for hangouts on ios vs android that continually causes google to justify releasing new features for that platform well before android. i will NEVER get over the year gap between ios and android for hangouts voice calls. hangouts is preinstalled on just about all android phones. i have a hard time imagining more people on ios actively seek this google product out, install it on their apple phones and recruit friends to use it with imessage available...

Tom Hayden

I think this is the answer: they need to make it shiny on iOS to increase user base. Us chumps on Android just suck up the shit and ask no questions. Apparently.

"but they've also been able to record and share 10-second videos since version 2.0 released February 27, 2014. If you're bad at math or your brain just exploded, let me tell you that was two years ago, give or take a few days. Two years.
What they're getting now in version 8.0 is a longer video recording allocation, up to one full minute."

Pffttt! By now, we, Android users, are quite used to Hangouts being a disappointment and missed opportunity. We're just waiting for the hangouts team to reach rock bottom, as we watch Facebook's Whatsapp slowly take over the world. Excuse me. I need to puke.

Andy Kennedy

gotta say, unless google really pull something out the bag by the end of i/o this year with this new messaging with bots thing we've herard about, im moving to telegram and dragging everyone with me. I got all of my friends on it (hangouts) before and sometimes im embarrassed i did as it hasn't lived up to the promises. Last chance... and they're only getting that as this closing sms thing down with it was so they could concentrate more on hangouts itself...

Paul Faraday

I recently gave up and started using Telegram. Really glad I did. Hangouts is far too slow to keep up with other apps basic features.

Noeltorious

lmao, okay you got me

gubagub

I'm just about done with Hangouts. I was waiting for Telegram to add voice and video calls, but I might just switch to Wire instead.

Josh Legoza

Rita, that was simply brilliant! I was laughing that whole way through. Also, I too dream about UI and UX, but unfortunately, those dreams stay dry. I guess they aren't exciting enough.

YuCMi

Hopefully Google will make a new IM service to replace terrible Hangouts. /s

Clawz114

My one and only gripe with Android, is how slow Google are with their Hangouts development. I am probably one of the few people who use it daily and actually really like it. I think we can all agree though, it could be so much more. I have no doubts that Google has the ability to make Hangouts absolutely awesome, and give everyone all the features they have been asking for for years. It seems crazy to me, that this doesn't seem to be a priority, or even have any importance, to Google.

Gtfoguy

Oh google what are u playing ? Hangouts should be tested and trialed on android first as a perk for us choosing android over iOS, I think it's fantastic that u make your apps cross platform and I wish apple did the same look at the mistake blackberry made with bbm messenger it was really popular they would not make it cross platform and eventually everyone turned to WhatsApp which is cross platform then people stopped buying blackberry and went to android or iPhone with WhatsApp, Apple should open imessage up to any platform and Google need to purchase telegram messenger because they are really struggling getting a big user base with hangouts and hangouts is never a very good app every update its a question of what did google do wrong with this version instead of what's right.

monsterdonutkid

Good one, Rita. Literally LOLed while reading this at work.

LiquidFlames

Omg me too!

monsterdonutkid

Also, Android users still don't have the Like/Dislike button on the YouTube app which has long been available on iOS. Oh, what joy!

Dude calm down. Google implements things on iOS first so it can test them well before implement it on Android, so they can make sure they deliver something stable solid to the users who are important. :)

LiquidFlames

Brilliant. I've not seen something so funny in a long time. Perfectly played.

LiquidFlames

Thats usually a sign there's some deeper reason they haven't added it yet. Maybe there's a core programming reason deep in the Android OS that would have to be rewritten to get it to work right which means rolling out big OS updates to thousands of different types of phones because "better together not the same". Or maybe they're working on some replacement for Hangouts, a whole new app, and by the time they get video working the new app will launch. Or maybe it's something deeper. It isn't because they hate us and want us to crave IOS so we can send videos.

rnbmusic

um i have iphone and when i send video it looks normal on my end, but everyone else with iphones with regular imessage always say it doesn't play. :(